Do The Math is a pricing game where the contestant is shown two prizes, and a dollar figure representing the difference of the value of the two prizes. It's displayed on a large screen placed in-between both prizes, which are shown on two small, rectangular screens.
Gameplay[]
- Without knowing the price of either prize, the contestant must then decide whether the dollar figure should be added to or subtracted from the price of the prize on the left to equal the price of the prize on the right. The prices of both prizes are then revealed one by one from left to right, and if correct, the contestant wins both prizes and the cash amount equal to the dollar figure displayed on the screen.
- The game boils down to whether or not you think the first prize is more or less expensive than the second. If you think it's more expensive, choose "minus"; if it's less expensive, choose "plus."
History[]
- The game premiered on September 23, 2013 (#6421K, aired out of order on October 18, 2013, originally rescheduled to air on October 14, 2013), the premiere of the show's 42nd season and that season's Big Money Week, and was won.
- The game was created by Scott Robinson, although it did not debut until after his departure from the show during Season 41. It was intended to debut on September 23, 2008 (#4432K), immediately after Gas Money, as Roger Dobkowitz wanted to make up for the fact that Season 36 had no new games by debuting a new game every day of the Season 37 premiere week. However, due to budget issues with CBS, every game except Gas Money was scrapped, and Check Game was played instead on the day the game was intended to premiere.
- On April 27, 2015 (#7111K, aired out of order on April 21), the first Couples Week episode, January 27, 2021 (#045SP, aired out of order on April 13), and December 7, 2023 (#067SP) Do the Math was played for two cars, becoming the fifth pricing game (other than Safe Crackers, Squeeze Play, Make Your Move, Balance Game (2) and Cliff Hangers) to be played for a car that normally isn’t played for one since the start of Season 30 (September 17, 2001, #1861K, aired out of order on September 24) (Race Game, which was played for four cars-- an $18,380 Chevrolet Colorado Ranger Cab, a $22,795 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4X4, a $20,775 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport ES and a $16,569 Toyota Yaris-- on the Season 40 premiere on September 19, 2011, #5631K, Pick-A-Pair, which was played are played for two cars-- a pair of Scion iQs, worth $16,205 each-- on the March 21, 2012, #5893K episode and Plinko, which was played for two cars-- specifically, a $25,324 Scion FRS and a $20,585 Dodge Journey American Value Package-- on October 4, 2013, #6435K, aired out of order on September 27, during the all-Plinko show, were the other four), in which it was played for two cars-- a $17,495 Fiat 500 Pop and an $18,448 Toyota Yaris L. Unfortunately, they were lost. The game was won the second and third times. The cars offered on the January 27, 2021 (#045SP, aired out of order on April 13) playing were a $23,568 Mazda 3 and a $22,699 Toyota CH-R. The cars offered on the December 7, 2023 (#067SP) playing were a $32,805 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend and a $28,865 Wolf Grey Kia K-5 GT Line
- Do the Math has been won 166 times (including a technical win on May 21, 2021, #9445K, but excluding 5 primetime wins), most recently on January 13, 2025 (#0851L).
- On November 27, 2019 (#8913K), the Thanksgiving College Rivals episode, Cortney Wright (Michigan) won trips to Boston, Massachusetts, and Austin, Texas, and John Donovan (Ohio State) was denied.
Trivia[]
- This pricing game is similar to Magic # and It's Optional.
- Unlike Magic # where you have to set it to a price so it's higher than the price of the prize on the left and lower than the price of the prize on the right, it has a similarity to It's Optional because it tells you the difference between the 2 prizes and its actual retail prices.
- The only difference is with It's Optional, the actual prices of the 2 prizes are told at the start of the game. But in this game, the actual retail prices are told at the end of the game once the contestant decides to add or subtract to win both prizes.
- The most number of times this game was played in any season was 25 (seasons 44, 48 and 50), while the least number of times this game was played in any season was 21 (season 49).
- If the contestant makes the wrong choice (thus losing the game), a large red X is placed over the difference in the center screen.
Gallery[]
To view the gallery, click here.
YouTube Videos[]
The Real Do the Math Premiere (September 23, 2013 (#6421K, aired out of order on October 18, 2013, originally rescheduled to air on October 14, 2013)
An Early Playing of Do The Math (September 30, 2013, #6431K, aired out of order on September 23 as the first playing)
First Do The Math Loss (October 21, 2013, #6461K, aired out of order on October 7)
Rita's Splitastic Win on Do the Math (June 16, 2015, #7182K)
| 2010s Pricing Games |
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| Rat Race | Pay the Rent | Double Cross | Do The Math | Time is Money (2) | Vend-O-Price | Hot Seat | Gridlock! |